Drinking cup



Jan. 13, 1953 A. E. BROWN 2,625,019

DRINKING CUP Filed Sept. 20, 194'? Patented Jan. 13, 1953 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE DRINKING CUP Abner E. Brown, Richmond Heights, Mo.

Application September 20, 1947, Serial No. 775,207

Claims. (Cl. 65-43) The present invention relates to feeding uten silsfor babies and more particularly to a drinking cup of the so-calledslow-flow" type, wherein the now of milk, water, or other liquids isrestricted when the cup is tilted in use. The arrangement is such thatthe cup cannot deliver liquid at a rate greater than the capacity of thechild to consume it, regardless of the amount of tilting of the cup.Also, spilling of the entire contents following fortuitous upsetting ofthe cup is obviated.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a cup ofsimple construction including an insertable and removable flowregulating member, and including means to retain said member in positionat a predetermined elevation below the peripheral upper edge of the cup.

Another object is to provide means on the flow regulating member tofacilitate its insertion into and removal from the cup body.

Other advantages will be apparent from the description to follow,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a drinking cup embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustratin the manner in which theflow regulating member is manually flexed while being inserted orwithdrawn;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a slight modification;and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of an insert ring utilized in the Fig. 5modification.

With particular reference now to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the drinkingcup of this invention is generally designated I0. It includes a bottomwall I I, a cylindrical vertical wall I2 terminating in a beaded upperperipheral edge or rim I3. A conventional handle I4 is provided.

Rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the inner peripheral surfaceof the wall I2 are opposite groups of lugs or equivalent means suitablyshaped for the purpose to appear. In the preferred illustrated form,there is a first pair of diametrically opposite lugs or abutments I5provided with flat lower surfaces I6, as best seen in Fig. 4. In likemanner, there is a second pair of diametrically opposite lugs ll, theselugs having flat upper surfaces I 8 also best seen in Fig. 4. Asapparent from an inspection of the drawing, the horizontal plane of theflat surfaces I8 is preferably slightly lower than that of the flatsurfaces I6. And, as shown in Fig. 1, the lugs are spaced ninety degreesapart, in the preferred form.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a thin resilient disc or metal wafer I9, thediameter of which is slightly less than the internal diameter of thewall I2, is removably maintained in position in the cup by thecooperation of the lugs I5 and I1, and provides a very narrow annularopening 20 between its peripheral edge and the internal face of the wallI2.

As will appear, the disc is insertable and removable from the cup by aflexing operation. Means whereby manual flexing or bowing of the disc I9is facilitated are provided. As illustrated in Fig. 3, an invertedU-shaped bail, generally designated 2|, may be employed for thispurpose. The bail 2I includes legs 22 slidable in spaced openings 23formed in the disc I9.

2. head, or the like, 25 formed on the extremity of each leg 22.

A slight modification is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 wherein the samereference characters are applied to parts that are similar. In themodified form, the lugs l5 and I! are rigid with a ring member 30, whichmay be removably press fitted into the cup. This ring is provided withan annular upper beaded edge 3|, serving to limit the downward movementof the ring and also to facilitate its withdrawal. By this arrangement,the flow control means hereof may be made as an accessory to the cupitself, requiring no structural changes or additions thereto. In theearlier form, the lugs are permanent parts of the cup, remaining afterthe child has outgrown the need of the flow control. However small theselugs are relatively to other analogous means, they are eliminated by thearrangement of Figs. 5 and 6.

In use, assuming that the cup has been filled with a liquid to anoptional level below the lugs H, such as that indicated by the referencecharacter a: in Fig. 2, the flow restricting disc I9 is flexed or bowedby the use of the index finger and thumb, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Thiscontracts the distance between the opposite edges of the disc to lessthan that between the opposite lugs I5 without reducing the distance atninety degrees thereto, or between the edges spanning the other lugs II.With the disc thus flexed, it is lowered into the cup until thecontracted edges are below the surfaces I6 of the lugs I5, or until theedges at ninety degrees thereto engage the Movement; of the bail in onedirection is limited by the? bight 24 thereof, and in the oppositedirection byupper surfaces l8 of the lugs ll. Thereupon, manual pressureis gradually decreased until the member 19 snaps into the position shownin Figs. 2 and 3, and is retained there by its inherent resistance toflexing. Due to the flat surfaces provided on the lugs, the member [9 isthus firmly held in place regardless of the angular position of the cup.in the hands of the child or otherwise.

The restricted annular opening ZO-aifords a restricted rate of flow thatwill prevent the child. from receiving liquid at rates greater than hecan properly assimilate it. The cup will aid the child in learning todrink properly and will prevent the spilling of the entire contentsshould the cup he accidentally overturned; Also, its. parts are sodesigned that complete removal of food particles or film can readily bemade, and

full sterilization is possible, as by boiling, without injury to theparts.

The openings 28 in the disc 39, permitthe bail 2|. to drop. to theposition shown in Fig. 3 when theelement i9 isin place. Aside fromappearance factors, this causes it to withdraw from a position whereinit mightinterfere with, drinking iromthe cup.

While. the preferred embodiment of. the invention has been illustratedand, described, it oh.-

viously may admit of slight modifications,v such as the Fig. 5embodiment, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cup of the character described, means in the form of a flexibleresilient member to regulate the flow of contents therefrom, spaced stopmeans rigid with the vertical wall of the cup to maintain said member ina predetermined plane within the cup, and a handle associated with saidmember tofacilitate its insertion into and removal from the cup, saidhandle comprising a lateral bight portion on the outside of saidresilient. member, legs attached thereto slidable with respect to saidresilientmember, said legs being attached to heads on the side of theresilient member opposed to said bight portion of the handle, said headsacting as stop members and being movable .to a position adjacent theresilient member, saidhandle facilitating the insertion and removal ofthe resilient member in the cup by serving as a fulcrum supportwhen theedges of the resilient member are deflected.

2. In a cup of thecharacter described, a removable thin resilientmetallic member to restrict the flow of liquid, and means to maintainsaid member at a predetermined elevation relative to the upperperipheral edge of the cup,- said means comprising a first set ofdiametrically opposed abutment members each having a flat bottomsurface, and a second set of diametrically opposed abutment members eachhaving a flat top surface, each of said abutment members being rigidlysecured to the vertical wall of the cup interiorly thereof with thefiatsurfaces of each set parallel and located a predetermined distancefromthe upper peripheral rim-of the cup.

3. In combination, a cup having a bottomiwall and a cylindrical verticalwall terminating in an upper; rim portion, althini flexible memberhavinga smooth outer periphery devoid of notches disposed within said cup,spaced stop means rigid with the vertical wall of the cup to removablymaintain said memberin a predetermined plane, certain of said stop meansbeing engageable above said member, and-others being engageable belowsaid-member, the outside diameter of said member being greater than theshortest diametrical 4 distance between opposed stop means whereby saidmember must be flexed in order to engage or remove it from engagementwith said stop means.

4. A flow control member for use within a cup having holding means onthe inner wall thereof a predetermined distance below its upper edge,comprisinga thin, flat, flexible disc-like member having a diameterslightly less than the inside diameter of the cup so that there will beanarrow opening between the periphery of the member and the inner wall ofthe cup when it is disposed therein, said disc-like member having ahandle to'facilitate its insertion into and removal from the cup, saidhandle comprising a lateral bight portion on the outside of saidflexible member, legs'attached thereto slidable with respect to saidflexible member, said legs being attached to heads on the side of theflexible member opposed to saidbight, portion of the handle, said headsacting as stop members and being movable to a position adjacent theflexible member, said handle facilitating the insertionand removal ofthe resilient member in the cup by serving as. a fulcrum support whenthe circumferential edges of the flexible member aredeilected.

A iiowrestricting device for, a cup compris.- ing aremovablethin,resilient, metallic member to restrict the flow of liquid and meansto-maintain said member at a predetermined elevation relative to theupper peripheral edge of the cup, said means comprising a first set ofdiametrically opposed abutment members each havinga flat bottom surface,and a second set of, diametrically opposed abutment members each havinga hat top surface, each of said abutment members oein rigidly secured toan inner cylindrical wall surface in said cup with the flat surfaces ofeach set parallel and located a predetermined distance from the upperperipheral rim of the cup, said inner cylindrical wall surface beingtheinside of a ring member having a beaded upper rim portion and adapted tobe removably pressfl'tted into said cup.

ABNER E. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 84,242 Winkler Nov. 17, 1868118,125 Halsey Aug. 15, 1871 202,093 Clabaugh Apr. 9,- 1878 286,813Haskell Oct. 16, 1883 347,398 Towns Aug. 17, 1886 850,514 Wettstein Jan.25, 1887 468,571v Mann Feb. 9, 1892 191,421 Gersdorfi" Feb. 7, 1893874,138 Trett Dec. 17, 1907 963,500 Beechel July 5, 1910 1,177,145Schmalz Mar; 28, 1916 1,213,668 McKinstry Jan. 23, 1917 1,242,404 WernerOct..9, 1917 1,246,680 Thomas Nov. 13, 1917 1,254,251 Magnus Jan..22,1918 1,352,334 Wester Sept. 7, 1920 1,419,003 Album June 6,- 19221,739,627 Austin Dec; 17, 1929 1,990,918 Ramsden Feb. 12, 1935 2,012,113Thompson- Aug. 20, 1935 2,093,133 Low Sept. 14, 1937 2,853,600 SeltenSept. 19, 1944 2,437,784 Laskin .Mar. 16, 1948

